Sun Mote Copse Little desert fox

The kind with needles smelled nice, but walking through pines meant cones and sap and prickly terrain.  She preferred the leaves they had here.  

She hadn't noticed, but she hadn't been listening for it.  He seemed like he was fine now, so she hadn't worried either.  No. It was too long since she'd heard the pattern of his walk... voices stayed better.  What's different?  She pricked her ears.

His tale of bears was a good one, but it made her think of her recent interaction with Wraen.  What if the coyote had been one of those?  She'd be dead for sure.  The thought made her quiet a second.  Wow.  Are there a lot of bears around here?  She put no inflection on the question, as though she were simply curious.  As far as she could tell, Wraen had yet to let anyone know she'd been taking her little trips.  She didn't want them to know yet either; she didn't want them to stop her, though his answer might affect her views of outside.